More headlines: Hillary Clinton on Civil Rights

Rebuild trust between police and communities

Q: What would you do about racial profiling in NYC?

LAZIO: I don’t think we need federal monitors. The streets of New York are at their safest point ever. Do I believe in racial profiling? No, I do not. As a former prosecutor, I know that
we can do the job without that tool, and we should do the job without that tool. People believe that the quality of life is increasing in New York City because of the partnership that’s been developed between Mayor Giuliani and Governor Pataki.
And they’re going to add one more partner next year in the Senate: Rick Lazio.

CLINTON: I disapprove of racial profiling. I’ve spoken out about the need to rebuild trust between our police who put themselves on the line every single day and the
communities that they’re pledged to protect. I want to go to the Senate to make sure that our police have the resources and tools they need to do the very best job, but I also want to go to make sure that our communities feel safe and protected.

Source: (X-ref Lazio) Senate debate in Manhattan
Oct 8, 2000

New Yorkers should all just get along

We’re going to be promoting the politics of inclusion in New York, because I think it’s to the benefit of New Yorkers that people work together, even if they have differences.

Source: “Inside Politics”
Dec 9, 1999

Don’t punish Brooklyn Museum for Sensation

[Regarding the Brooklyn Museum’s display of the dung-covered portrait of the Virgin Mary entitled “Sensation”]: It is not appropriate to penalize and punish an institution such as the Brooklyn Museum that
has served this community with distinction over many years.

Argued with Bill Clinton about diluting affirmative action

Only a few months after the 1994 election, Bill and Hillary spoke to me about how they should handle this new hot-button issue. Should they side with those who wanted to end affirmative action, or remain loyal to the core constituencies of the Democratic
Party?

At first, the president wanted to explore alternatives to affirmative action. He and I discussed modifying affirmative action to grant preferences to those in poverty, regardless of gender and color.

But Hillary soon ended this flirtation with
moderation. She saw great danger in disappointing the black and feminist groups that supported the Democratic Party.

Hillary pointed out that many middle-class blacks and professional women felt they needed affirmative action to get ahead in their
workplace or win government contracts. Diluting the program to give preference to poor people, regardless of race or gender, might strip of their privileges, and they are the core of the Democratic Party.

Source: Condi vs. Hillary, by Dick Morris, p.120-121
Oct 11, 2005

Click here for 47 main quotations from Hillary Clinton on Civil Rights.